Presently, there are five principal means for moving wafers in the semiconductor industry. These include: air tracks, vacuum chucks, belts, ultrasonic devices and robotic arms. As the industry attempts to build increasingly larger circuits, using very large scale integration (VLSI), there are ever more stringent requirements for cleanliness. Individual particles of dirt have the potential of running an individual circuit die. In VLSI circuits, this may represent a significant loss. Both air tracks and belts tend to transfer an undesirable amount of particulate matter to wafers. Vacuum chucks, ultrasonic devices and robotic arms may be satisfactory for wafer handling over short distances.
An object of the invention is to provide a wafer handling apparatus which maintains wafers free from particulate contamination, yet which is able to move wafers over the distances usually associated with belts and air tracks.